Drivers Welcome Ban on Sale of Drugs in Commercial Vehicles

Commercial drivers in the Brong-Ahafo regional capital have applauded the ban on sale of drugs in public vehicles and expressed their intent to enforce the order.

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), on Tuesday directed its members not to allow the peddling of drugs in any form in their vehicles, as the practice was a clear violation of section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani on Thursday, the commercial drivers commended the leadership of the GPRTU for taking such a bold decision and expressed the hope that other sister-transport unions in the country would emulate the example.

Bolga Naaba, Sprinter 207 Benz Bus driver at the Nana Bosoma Central Market new car station, said passengers have on several occasions protested against the practice.

Mr Prince Amponsah, the Acting Customer Officer at the Sunyani Metro Mass Transit Company Limited, said the GPRTU’s directive was in the right direction adding that it would bring sanity in the transport industry.

Questioning the potency of some of these drugs, the Customer Officer said it was dangerous to take those drugs without medical prescription, saying many of the peddlers were not licensed to operate.

Emmanuel Antwi, another commercial driver, called on the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to intensify their efforts in exposing such drug peddlers who have not licensed their products.

He said every drug has its side effect, hence the need for the FDA to conduct regular monitoring and market surveying to strengthen supervision in ensuring that herbal medicines on the market were not harmful to the human health.

Meanwhile, some of the drivers also registered their displeasure at the practice of some preachers who preached the word of God in commercial vehicles.

They said the practice was also not the best as it frowned on the religious rights of some of the passengers and the drivers.

“We have freedom of worship and it is not right for some people to impose their faith and beliefs on others”, one of the drivers said.

Source: GNA